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Economic effects of the Cuban RevolutionLennart, a fairer comparison would be with other Latin American or Caribbean nations if you have any figures; e.g. Venezuela or Jamaica. Italy, as a developed European state with industry and infrastructure to match had a much greater potential to grow from 1948 onwards than Cuba did, and would have done so under any sane economic system. What is more, compared with - say - Jamaica, which has had no revolution or US embargo, Cuba has higher GDP per capita, suggesting there's a lot more going on than "planned economy = bad".

Jan27

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Economic effects of the Cuban RevolutionI am suspicious of ideological bias here, due to comments like: "has been wholly negative", and the singleminded focus on GDP where ihtkwot's answer takes a broader view of the economy.

Why did Charles V divide his holdings as he did?This all sounds very sound - I would add that in an age when the monarch is personally responsible for a lot, and communications are slow, Charles V's full holdings were unmanageably huge to be ruled by one man. If he had tried, much more than just the Netherlands would probably have been lost to Hapsburg rule.

Dec2

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Why is King Henry V regarded as such a great King?But of course many of the prisoners held by the English at that point in the battle were nobles, and many more were men at arms - well trained, well equipped, valuable soldiers, often with a personal loyalty to their noblemen. This is by no means the same as a slaughter of random peasants in medieval eyes; and despite the lack of a formal law of war, I would suggest that public slaughters of some other noble's peasants were still frowned upon!